Political Standpoint:
Anti-Federalist (although a moderate one)
Occupation/ Socio-economic background:
He was a lawyer and also a Land surveyer drawing one of the first civilian maps of Albany New York. He was not an extremley wealthy man. He was married with 6 children and a judge of the supreme court. Constitutional Convention:
Robert Yates was a member of the constitutional convention. He was also a member of the committee of corospondence in 1775 but resigned. He was also on the secret committee for obstucting navagation of the Hudson. In the constitutional convention he soon learned that the goal was to re-write the Articles of Confederation. He wrote a letter to the governer and left the Convention on July 10th.
State Ratification:
Robert Yates was involved in New York's ratification process he voted against the constitution.
Arguments against Constitution:
Yates did not agree with the constitution's writing. New York legislature had only given delegates power to revise the Articles of Confederation. Ye tes believed that a republic had to be small and uniform in order to be successful. He claimed it was impractical to believe a general government could benefit all the states. He did not believe in strong central government.
Refrences:
John Lansing. George Clinton. Alexander Hamilton.
Bilbliography:
Elliot, Jonathon. "The Convention Lacks the Authority to Establish a New National Government." The Debates in Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution (1861): 63-67. Print.
ROBERT YATES "BRUTUS"
State Represented:
New York.
Political Standpoint:
Anti-Federalist (although a moderate one)
Occupation/ Socio-economic background:
He was a lawyer and also a Land surveyer drawing one of the first civilian maps of Albany New York. He was not an extremley wealthy man. He was married with 6 children and a judge of the supreme court.
Constitutional Convention:
Robert Yates was a member of the constitutional convention. He was also a member of the committee of corospondence in 1775 but resigned. He was also on the secret committee for obstucting navagation of the Hudson. In the constitutional convention he soon learned that the goal was to re-write the Articles of Confederation. He wrote a letter to the governer and left the Convention on July 10th.
State Ratification:
Robert Yates was involved in New York's ratification process he voted against the constitution.
Arguments against Constitution:
Yates did not agree with the constitution's writing. New York legislature had only given delegates power to revise the Articles of Confederation. Ye tes believed that a republic had to be small and uniform in order to be successful. He claimed it was impractical to believe a general government could benefit all the states. He did not believe in strong central government.
Refrences:
John Lansing. George Clinton. Alexander Hamilton.
Bilbliography:
Elliot, Jonathon. "The Convention Lacks the Authority to Establish a New National Government." The Debates in Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution (1861): 63-67. Print.
"Robert Yates." Hall of North and South Americans. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. http://famousamericans.net/robertyates/.
"Robert Yates." New York State Museum, Albany, New York. Web. 20 Sept. 2009. <http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/y/ryates.html>.